Corpse Flower: Annie Dubrovskaya's journal

Corpse flower is really a bunch of flowers

By Annie Dubrovskaya

Davis, July 30 -- The Amorphophallus, or corpse flower, is said to be the largest flower in the world because of its bulk. In reality, the "flower" is a bloom or a cluster of many flowers that grow from the same base.  To botanists this is called an inflorescence. 

The bloom is the cone/missile shaped portion that rises from the ground and then opens up into the “flower.” The bloom is composed of a creamy colored spadix and a maroon colored spathe.  The spadix with many tiny male and female flowers at its base can be up to 12 feet tall.  The spathe, which is a highly modified leaf, has been measured to be up to 3 feet across.

During the time the flower is dormant, an enormous leaf erupts from the soil and photosynthesizes to store energy for producing a new flower. The leaf can get up to 20 feet high and have a palmy leaf 15 feet wide! The first time I entered the greenhouse and noticed Ted's leaf, I thought it was some sort of palm until Ernesto (the conservatory curator) set me straight.

Life cycle

The bloom develops from a large tuber-like corm, that grows up to 170 pounds in cultivation. But that size only occurs if conditions match those of the Sumatran tropical rainforests where this plant is native.  In about three to four weeks, the bloom grows to its full capacity, which is determined by the amount of energy stored in its underground stem, the corm, from the photosynthesis of the leaf. Once the bloom opens, it smells like rotting meat, eggs and maybe corpses, especially the first night. (I will find out soon with Tabatha.)

Spadix crumbles, revealing fruits

The bloom stays open for about two days to maximize pollination. Afterward, the spadix crumbles and the spathe deteriorates displaying dark orange fruits. When the fruits are carried away and eaten by birds, this helps to spread the seeds found inside. When the bud has rotted, the plant enters a dormant stage, recuperating from the stress of flower production.

After several months that the plant lies dormant, a new bud emerges and a single gigantic palm-like leaf begins photosynthesizing and storing up energy for another bloom. The leaf can get up to 20 feet high and have a palmy area 15 feet wide! The first time I entered the greenhouse and noticed the leaf of one of these plants, I thought it was some sort of palm until Ernesto (the conservatory curator) set me straight. After the leaf dies down or is damaged and the plant does not possess enough energy to make a new reproductive bud, it begins the leaf phase all over.

For more information on the corpse flower, visit these sites:

• California State University, Fullerton, Biology Department Web page: "Frequently Asked Questions About the Titan Arum"
• The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens Web page: "Interesting facts about: Amorphophallus titanum"
• Botanical Gardens Trust, Sydney, Australia, Web site: Titan Arum fact sheet